I was driving along today (being honked at and nearly run down...but besides that...) I was driving and wondering if the reason why Japanese and Eastern cultures were so well developed and advanced was that they embraced meditation - balance and order in the soul, the better communication between the two sides of the whole. Just a thought...its one of my more positive of late so thought I would share.

considering having another knock at it? I know you used to feel it

Meditation is always good, even if just to relax and de stress.

It sounds possible. But I'm not sure about the "developed and advanced" thingy. Many westerners will tell you that development and advancement are technological/scientific, and that they're brought about by the mind (with modern civilizations as a prime example).
Others might argue that advancement and development originate from struggle and that highly developed meditative practices are the result of highly hierarchal and oppressive societies (as a counter means against the stress experienced in such systems).

In fact - the most "balanced" approach between the sides of the whole can be seen, I think, in "primitive"/"simple" societies (like the san bushmen, the !kong, some Native American cultural aspects etc...

I guess I was just pondering Pelar that 900 years ago Japanese artisans were pounding out Katana's that are still incredible masterpieces and had a really highly developed culture - meanwhile Africa was just about exactly where it is today....

I know that sounds terrible, but just what I was pondering. I'll think about what you said - it's a new pov

Ah I see what you are getting at Seven...That's an interesting link to make. I guess it comes down to (like what scratbuster said) how you define 'developed and advanced'. The western would (like scratbuster mentioned) probably defines developed and advanced based on technological achievements. However the Eastern may base it on spirituality and knowledge of the self.

I would say meditation does play a huge role in developing your spirituality. Meditation is like preparing yourself for a journey. Maybe meditation is like a phone, it enables you to 'speak' to someone on the other end. But the only contact in the phone is the creator or the source. I do find it interesting to note the differences between the philosophies of the East, and that of the West. Here's some food for thought...what if they were to be combined?

i said what now?

Oh my bad, i meant Pelar